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5th June

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1963: Profumo resigns in sex scandal


On June 5, 1963, British Secretary of War John Profumo resigns his post following revelations that he had lied to the House of Commons about his sexual affair with 19-year-old call girl Christine Keeler. Keeler was known to have also been involved with Eugene Ivanov, a Soviet naval attaché and suspected spy. Profumo's deceit had been exposed by Dr. Stephen Ward, a London osteopath who had hosted parties where Profumo and Keeler had engaged in sexual acts. Although Profumo assured the public that he had not compromised national security in any way, the scandal threatened to topple Prime Minister Harold Macmillan's government. In October, under pressure from his own party, Macmillan resigned.

1989

In Poland, Solidarity defeats the Comminusts in the first free elections in the country since the end of World War II.

1975

Egyptian President Anwar Sadat re-opens the Suez Canal to all but Israeli shipping - it had been closed for 8 years since the Six Day War of June 1967.

1975

Britain holds its first modern referendum - which endorses continued membership of the European Common Market.

1968

Alan Mullery becomes the first England footballer to be sent off the field during a full England international during a European Championship match against Yugoslavia in Florence.

1968

American Senator Bobby Kennedy, brother of former US President John F Kennedy who was assassinated in Dallas, Texas in 1963, is shot dead

1967

In the Middle East, the start of the Six Day War between Israel and its Arab neighbours - including Egypt and Syria.

1963

British War Minister John Profumo resigns after admitting he misled the House of Commons over his relationship with call-girl Christine Keeler.

1944

World War II: A cafe in the French town of Benouville is the first place to be liberated from German occupation when British paratroopers seize control of a vital canal bridge in advance of the main Allied D-Day landings in Normandy the following morning on June 6th.

1916

World War I: British General Lord Kitchener drowns when HMS Hampshire hits a mine off the Orkney Islands during a storm and sinks en route to Russia. There are no survivors.

1906

A third German Naval Bill provides for further increases in the building of battleships as the arms race with other European powers continues.

1900

Boer War: British troops capture and occupy Pretoria, the capital of the Transvaal.

1944

British boxer Chris Finnegan. Olympic middleweight champion in Mexico, 1968. Holder of the British, Commonwealth and European Light-Heavyweight titles in 1972.

1939

British novelist Ken Follett.

1920

American writer and historian Cornelius Ryan.

1915

Lancelot Ware - founder of MENSA.

1878

Mexican revolutionary leader Pancho Villa.

1718

English furniture maker Thomas Chippendale.

1993

Country and Western singer Conway Twitty aged 59.

1976

American oil billionaire John Paul Getty.

1916

British General Lord Kitchener drowns when HMS Hampshire hits a mine off the Orkney Islands during a storm and sinks en route to Russia.

1625

English composer Orlando Gibbons.